Numerous protestors in central Baghdad climbed the walls of the Swedish embassy early Thursday morning and set the embassy building on fire. The protestors voiced their vehement opposition to the planned burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden.
The Swedish foreign ministry issued a prompt statement condemning the attack, emphasizing the need for Iraqi authorities to safeguard diplomatic missions. All embassy staff in Baghdad were reported to be safe, adding a silver lining to the distressing incident.
The protest was reportedly organized by the followers of influential cleric Muqtada Sadr in response to a second planned Quran-burning event in Sweden in recent weeks. Sadr, a formidable figure in Iraq, has a massive following which he has mobilized for numerous protests, even leading to deadly clashes.
Reaction to Planned Quran Burning Event in Sweden
According to the Swedish news agency TT, Swedish police had approved a request for a public gathering in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. The application reportedly intended to fire the Quran and the Iraqi flag.
Visuals and videos shared on a popular Telegram group, One Baghdad, portrayed protestors chanting pro-Sadr slogans and besieging the embassy complex around 1 am on Thursday. Scenes of smoke emanating from the embassy building and protestors on its roof followed; however, no news agency couldn’t independently verify these videos’ authenticity.
In response to the embassy attack, the Iraqi foreign ministry condemned and instructed security forces to conduct a swift investigation, identify those responsible, and ensure justice.
By daybreak, security forces had entered the embassy building, and firefighters were seen dousing residual fires. A considerably smaller group of protestors remained outside the embassy grounds.
Last month, Sadr had called for protests against Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador following the Quran burning event in Stockholm by an Iraqi man. Following this incident, significant protests occurred outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, with protestors even breaching the embassy grounds once.
This event prompted an outcry from multiple Muslim governments, including Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Morocco. Iraq even sought the extradition of the man responsible so he could face trial within the country. The United States also expressed condemnation of the act but pointed out that the permit issued by Sweden was in support of freedom of expression and not an endorsement of the act itself.
